ST. LOUIS THEATER REVIEWS

Playwright Marc Camoletti's BOEING, BOEING (translated by Beverly Cross) has had its share of success over the years, running for nearly 20 years in Paris, and being turned into a Jerry Lewis and Tony Curtis film in 1965, before being revived on Broadway in 2008. Now, Dramatic License Productions is...

I remember seeing NEXT TO NORMAL at the Fox Theatre a while back and being impressed by the show, especially since so many things that happened to the lead character were/are taking place in my own life. But, New Line Theatre, for me, sets the local standard for musical theatre in our burgeoning art...

It would be easy to be either immediately won over by the hype surrounding this show before ever seeing it, or to be disappointed once you had, because it couldn't possibly live up to it. That's why I go into these things with reasonable expectations. I'm already a fan of Trey Parker and Matt Stone ...

CONNECTED, by Lia Romeo, is a fascinating look at the cyber world we live in today and how it directly affects our younger generation. They're growing up in a world where anything that can be captured on video can go viral, for better or worse. Romeo's work plays out in four vignettes, all of which ...

Playwright Charles Busch has created a number of entertaining and offbeat works, and PSYCHO BEACH PARTY is no exception. Focusing on the exploits of the Gidget-like 'Chicklet Forrest', the play combines elements that evoke the psychological horrors of Alfred Hitchcock, while also poking fun at teena...

Director/Playwright Jon Jory has neatly adapted Jane Austen's SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, maintaining the crux of the novel while streamlining it for the stage. It's a compelling and engaging presentation that utilizes a single set to tell its tale, and there are a number of noteworthy performers gracing...

I'm a big fan of the works of playwright David Mamet, and with his play, SPEED THE PLOW, he takes aim at the cutthroat world of Hollywood. It's a fascinating look at what sells and what doesn't when you're talking about the big screen. And, it also shows how friendships can be pushed to the brink by...

Playwright Edward Albee has a knack for writing intriguing and provocative works, and THE GOAT OR, WHO IS SYLVIA? certainly fits the bill. It's subject matter is controversial, affecting, and powerful, inviting much conversation and discussion like great theatre should. Full of disconcerting moments...

Part of my job is to be a critic, so I criticize positively, and sometimes negatively, the shows that I get to see. But part of my job is also to report, and when an audience responds enthusiastically to a show, whether I find fault with it or not, I have to be honest and make mention of that fact. ...

With this fourth foray into his Pittsburgh cycle, playwright August Wilson crafts another masterwork with THE PIANO LESSON. Wilson's play, once again, captures an era rich in detail in African American history, and ponders the meaning of the word legacy, and how it applies to different individuals. ...

Conceived, written and directed by renowned actor/writer/director Ken Page, CAFE CHANSON is a memorable production that's affecting and intriguing. It acts as both a tribute to the soldiers who have served our country with valor and conviction, as well as positing the idea of an afterlife that allow...

Though at first it may seem like an odd pairing of one acts, there's actually a connection between playwright Christopher Durang's introductory work, MRS. SORKEN and David Mamet's THE DUCK VARIATIONS. Towards the end of Mrs. Sorken, a direct reference is made to the the plays of David Mamet, and his...

While watching playwright Amy Herzog's wonderful play, 4000 MILES, I kept being reminded of my own relationship with my grandmother (on my mother's side of the family) who passed away many years ago (unfortunately, I never met my grandmother on my father's side). I secretly wished that I had been ab...

The last time STOMP came to the Fabulous Fox Theatre I made sure to bring along my son. I made a point of taking him this time as well, because their antics seem to absolutely delight him. I can understand why. If you've ever drummed on your steering wheel to a song on the radio, or absentmindedly t...

It's a bit disconcerting when you see a play or musical that's set in an era you lived through. Kind of makes you feel a little older than you'd like to feel. In this case, it's the midwest premier of FLASHDANCE THE MUSICAL. I remember when director Adrian Lyne's film came out in 1983, and it was at...

Sometimes bad things happen to good people. It's just the way life is. Things aren't always "fair" or even equitable, but that's just something we all have to understand and accept. In these tough economic times that we live in, it's a hard fact that everyone needs to be made aware of, and playwrigh...

In case you didn't know it already, Bartolomeo Cristofori was the inventor of the piano, and in 1988 David Lanz paid tribute to him with his rich album, Cristofori's Dream, itself a lovely album of considerable grace and beauty. But, that work was enhanced by other musicians who built up the overall...

I'm lucky enough to see over a hundred shows every year, and I'm happy to report that 2012 was an excellent year for theatre in St. Louis. So, here I am again, offering up my lists for the best productions of 2012. While I'm not going to include the touring companies that came through town this yea...

I'm a big fan of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis's Imaginary Theatre Company because their productions are consistently entertaining and they never fail to send a positive message to their audience. This is important to me as a parent, because there are plenty of Christmas plays for children, but...

Performing a one-person show can be a daunting task. After all, even in a two-person show there's someone else to guide you should you go astray, or come up suddenly blank. Of course, you also need a good script or, at least a sturdy framework, to allow the actor to succeed. But, when both of these ...

WICKED is pure spectacle, or to quote Glinda the Good Witch herself, it's a "thrill-ifying" experience that dazzles and delights, with terrific performances and eye-popping scenic design and special effects. The plot gives a back story to L. Frank's Baum's Wizard of Oz, that is unexpected, and infus...

I love it when the Reduced Shakespeare Company comes to town. Their humor runs the gamut from simple puns and wordplay to sophisticated laughs that require a bit of intellect. The last time I saw them was a couple of years ago at the Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University. I didn't se...

You'd have to have been a hermit living in a cave the past few years not to be aware of the cultural impact of J. K. Rowling's seven best-selling Harry Potter books. Not to mention the eight blockbuster movies that they spawned. The last couple years may have seen the "Twilight" series overshadow th...

If you're looking for heart-warming fare this holiday season, then look no further than The New Jewish Theatre's splendid production of playwright Lanford Wilson's work, TALLEY'S FOLLY. This is a romantic and touching play that features two wonderful performances and masterly direction. It's a perfe...

I have to confess that I'm not particularly fond of playwright/director Alan Ayckbourn's brand of British farce. I just don't think it translates very well to American audiences, and it requires the actors involved to sport solid accents, or it loses its credibility. That's why I was a bit surprised...